Apparatus for cleaning gases



April 3, 1951 J. E. BURTON APPARATUS FOR CLEANING GASES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 19, 1945 EICIJ.

l lCr.

m I. u o I April 1951 J. E. BURTQN 2,547,902

' APPARATUS FOR CLEANING GASES Filed July 19, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 wil ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 3, 1951 APPARATUS FOR CLEANING GASES John E. Burton, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to The Budd Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application July 19, 1946, Serial No. 684,695

4 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for removing dust from air or other gaseous fluids and especially for cleaning surfaces contaminated with or having deposited thereon dust or the like, and has'for an object the provision of improve-- ments in this art.

One of the particular objects of the invention is to provide apparatus for cleaning thematerial selected by screening or by electrical precipitation and removing it to a waste disposal location.

Another object is to provide simple compact and inexpensive means for disposing of collected waste.

The above and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description of an exemplary embodiment, reference being made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section of exemplary apparatus embodying the invention the view being taken on the line ll of Fig. 2 and showing the parts in cleaning position;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged partial view of parts shown in Fig. 1 but in another position;

Fig. 6 is a view like Fig. 5 but showing the parts in another position;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged partial elevation of the plate actuating mechanism; and

Fig. 8 is a side view of parts shown in Fig. 7.

The invention is particularly suitable for cleaning dust from electrical precipitation ap-- paratus but is well adapted for cleaning dust from other collecting apparatus or surfaces. It is illustrated in connection with electrical precipitation apparatus which as a type is well known to comprise a gas ionizing element, such as the usual set of spaced charged wires, across an air duct and a precipitation device of different polarity from that of the ionizing device to cause the small ionized particles to cling to a charged surface. The charged dust collecting element is preferably covered with a dust retaining substance such as oil and in the machines commonly used the collection element is periodically dipped in an oil bath to remove the collected dust. Such machines, having complex moving parts, are very expensive and cannot be afforded by small installations. The present apparatus employs fixed precipitation collectors and only minor moving parts, hence can be very compactly and inexpensively made and can be afiorded by small installations, although it is useful for all sizes of installations.

As here illustrated in an air conditioning system, the apparatus comprises a large air duct [0 provided with dust charging or ionizing elements I l and dust precipitating and collecting elements 2 of opposite polarity from that of the ionizing elements. The ionizing and precipitating elements are suitably insulated from the duct by dielectric elements l3. Charging current is supplied-by suitableelectrical connections, not shown.

In the usual operation of a device of the character so far described it is necessary to halt the passage of air at intervals and open the duct to clean the collector elements. And before they are cleaned they may hold such a large accumulation of dust as to be greatly impaired for dust collection purposes.

According to the present invention a stripper plate l5 of suitable insulating material is slidably mounted on the ionizing elements I l and the collector elements 12 in such manner as to move down and brush dust therefrom and, if desired, to coat the elements 12 with a dust retaining liquid such as oil as it moves up. At the openings where the plate embraces the ionizing and col lector elements itis provided with brush-like material 16 such as glass wool to furnish full nonbinding cleaning engagement therewith. Oil may be provided on the brushing material so it will spread the oil on the collector elements.

Alongside the main duct I6, here below it, a branch waste duct 18 is provided, the outer end of the waste duct leading to baiiles, a water sump or any other suitable dust disposal apparatus (not shown) as may be desired.

A damper 2t normally closes the waste duct but this damper is opened when the stripper plate l5 moves down. Fore and aft dampers 2E, 22 are provided in the main duct H] to close oii all except the opening to the waste duct when the stripper plate moves down. As here shown, the dampers 2!, 22 are formed of a plurality of small plates, hinged, as by shafts 23, to the wall of duct iii. The dampers 2|, 22 also are operated'by the movement of the stripper plate I5, if desired.

Any suitable means may be employed for causing the dampers 28, 2| and 22 to be operated in coordination and synchronism with movements of the stripper plate 15. This coordination may be achieved either directly or indirectly. Here the direct operating means are selected for simplicity of illustration. As shown in Fig. 4, the shafts 23 of all damper plates are connected outside the duct housing by rods 24 pivotally connected to arms fast on the shafts 23. It is to be noted that damper plate 2i! for closing the exhaust duct is rigidly connected to the shaft 23 of the lowest plate of the aft damper 22 and operates with that plate. The rods 24 are constantly urged downward to close the dampers 2i and 22 and open the damper 25 by coil springs 26. The plate 15 is provided at each end with a projection 27 having a cam roller 28 thereon for engaging cam arms 29 on shafts 30 located near the shafts 23 of the upper damper plates. A gear train 3|, 32 and 33 connects the shafts 30 and 23.

By this arrangement the damper 2| and 22 are quickly closed and the damper 2!] opened as soon as the stripper plate moves down and the dampers 2i and 22 are opened and the plate .20 closed when the stripper plate reaches the :end of its upward travel.

Means are provided for actuating the plate I5, the means here shown comprising reverse threaded screw shafts 35 and elongated pivoted followers 38 on the plate l5 operating in the grooves of the screw shafts. There may be as many of these screw shafts as are needed for even balanced operation of the plate .but for simplicity only two are shown. The spiral grooves are connected at each end so that if the shafts were rotated continuously in one direction the plate would move up and down continuously, but since it is only desiredto move the plate down and back to upper position for any given cycle of operation means are provided for effecting such a cycle. This means includes a switch which is operated each time the plate reaches its uppermost position. A time cycle device 4|, which is settable for any desired period, is operable to initiate each cycle after a given period of rest. The devices 40, 4| act like usual 3-point 2-way switches but with each switch operating in one direction to produce reversal instead of back-andforth like the tog le switches usually employed. The devices ts, 4| control the motor M which operates the screw shafts 35. a

In operation the air is blown through the main duct l9 and the dust is removed by elec- 7 trical precipitation. At predetermined intervals,

the length of which is established by the setting of the timer 4|, the motor circuit is energized to operate the motor and shafts 35 and cause the plate E5 to be moved down and back. The brushes of the. plate l5 sweep the dust down into the waste duct 58, the electrostatic charge being relieved at this time preferably. The plate l5 at the start of its down travel causes the dampers El, 22 to close up the main duct l9 fore and aft and at the same time causes damper 20 to be raised to open the waste duct [8. The air speed increases in the waste duct, as compared to its normal speed in the larger main duct, due to the smaller size of duct l8 and blows the dust away. After the plate !5 descends and returns it actuates the switch 4!] to deenergize the motor until the next cycle is initiated by the timer 4 l.

While one embodiment has been described for purposes of illustration it will be apparent that there may be various embodiments within the 4 limits of the prior art and the scope of the sub joined claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Gas cleaning apparatus comprising in com= bination, a main gas duct, a waste duct branch ing from the main duct, means for collecting dust from gas passing along the main duct, scraper means for periodically removing dust from said collecting means and carrying it to said waste duct, and means for closing the main duct at times and causing gas to flow in the exhaust duct to carry the dust off through said waste duct.

2. Gas cleaning apparatus comprising in combination, a main duct, means in said main duct for collecting dust from the gas, a waste duct, scraper means for stripping dust from said collecting means and carrying it to said waste duct, and means for closing off and diverting substantially all of the gas from the main duct to the waste duct for removing the dust removed by the stripping means.

3. Apparatus for cleaning dust from gas and from surfaces on which it is collected from the gas, comprising in combination, a main gas duct, dust ionizing and dust precipitating elements disposed transversely across the main duct, a waste duct or smaller size than the main duct branching therefrom at the precipitating elements, means for stripping dust from the precipitating elements and moving it to the waste duct, damper means for closing the main duct through the duct precipitating elements during the dust stripping period, damper means for opening the waste duct to the main gas duct during the dust stripping period to cause the entire supply of air to fiow through the waste duct, and means for operating the stripping means and damper means together.

4. Apparatus for cleaning dust from gas and from surfaces on which it is collected from the gas, comprising in combination, a main gas duct, transverse dust collecting elements in said main duct, the main duct being open on one lateral side at said elements, a stripper plate embracing said elements and movable along them to a position closing part of the open side of the duct, a waste duct diverging from, the open side of the main duct, a damper in the main duct operatively associated with the stripper plate for closing the part of the main duct above the plate as the plate moves down, a normally closed damper in the waste duct operatively associated with the stripper plate to open the waste duct when the stripper plate moves down toward the side opening in the main duct, and means for causing periodic operation of said plate and dampers.

JOHN E. BURTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Vokes Sept. 3, 1946 

